Though the start of traditional fire season has yet to begin, hundreds of wildfires erupted. The exhausted firefighters battled to contain flames, and thousands of people had to flee their homes under forced evacuation. Why?
Recently, I read an article about 'What Causes A Wildfire?'. It helps me know human activities are responsible for most wildfire incidents, and I want to share it with you.
Wildfires are classified as bushfires, forest fires, desert fires, peat fires, etc., depending on the location and the type of vegetation involved. Once a wildfire begins, it can spread quickly, causing mass destruction and death. Both human activities and natural events can cause wildfires, as mentioned below:
1. Human-Induced Wildfires
- Shifting Cultivation/Slash and Burn Farming
- Arson
- Cigarette Butts
- Fireworks
- Irresponsible Logging Activities
- Campfires
- Machinery or Equipment Generated Fires
- Burning Debris
2. Natural Causes of Wildfires
- Dry Climate/Drought
- Dry Lightning
- Volcanic Eruptions
Nature may play an important role in triggering a wildfire, but we can see human activities are responsible for most wildfire incidents. We expect firefighters to show up whenever there's a fire, but they're maxed out. There's just no way they're going to be able to fight every fire.
The climate continues to warm. The fire is complex, and there is no single silver bullet solution. However, without action, the extreme fire will increase with time, and more and more people have to run away from their homes.
Learn how to use firefighting equipment properly, burn debris safely, extinguish a campfire completely, and practice fire safety training regularly. Let's do something as we don't want to see our grandchildren cannot touch a living tree within a mile.